Brasília, Capital city in Federal District, Brazil
Brasília is a planned capital in the Federal District of Brazil, laid out on a central plateau at 1171 meters (3842 feet) elevation. The modernist city plan follows the shape of an airplane with separate sectors for government, residences, commerce, and embassies along wide avenues.
President Juscelino Kubitschek started construction in 1956 and moved the national capital from Rio de Janeiro to the interior after 41 months of intense development. The new city was inaugurated in 1960 and reshaped settlement patterns across the central plateau.
Residents live differently than in most capitals because daily life concentrates in the residential neighborhoods with their shopping centers and local restaurants. The wide open spaces between buildings become gathering places on weekends for families, joggers, and kite flyers.
The Federal District comprises 33 administrative regions connected by wide roads, where cars are more necessary than in older Brazilian cities. Most key sites sit along the central Monumental Axis, which is easy to explore with short taxi rides between them.
Three major river basins of Brazil originate near the city, making the Federal District a crucial water source for different regions. The architectural complex with the Congress building, Cathedral, and Presidential Palace received UNESCO World Heritage status in 1987.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
